Daily Archives: 2016-11-01

Doctor Strange is a 2016 American superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character of the same name, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the fourteenth film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film is directed by Scott Derrickson, who wrote the screenplay with C. Robert Cargill from a story by the duo and Jon Spaihts, and stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benjamin Bratt, Scott Adkins, Mads Mikkelsen, and Tilda Swinton. In Doctor Strange, surgeon Stephen Strange learns the mystic arts from the Ancient One after a career-ending car accident.

After all the special effects, grand costumes and sweeping music, this is a very familiar fantasy story. A man (surgeon Steven Strange) is taken from the mundane world into the mystical. He starts as an apprentice, learns skills to rival his master and ultimately takes on the evil one. Using new/invented skills he defeats his enemies and brings a new era into the world.

It’s well done, the stars here are Tilda Swinton and Benedict Cumberbatch. All others are secondary. And that includes big enemy boss Mads Mikkelsen who isn’t as sinister or compelling as he was in .Casino Royale (2006). On the plus side, these is plenty of unexpected humour.

It’s certainly an entertaining watch, but you will recognize all the fantasy tropes.